Strategic sightseeing makes the most of a cruise

Kuala Lumpur
First Time: Kuala Lumpur is a relatively easy city to navigate. Head first to major sights such as the Lake Gardens (with a bird sanctuary and butterfly park), the Blue Mosque, the Thean Hou Temple and the 41st-floor bridge of the Petronas Twin Towers, now the world's highest.

Return Visit: If you have an extra day, shopping is a must, as KL has the best prices in Asia. Options range from Kompleks Budaya Kraf for handicrafts to Suria KLCC, an immense entertainment and mercantile center.

The Caribbean
The Challenge: Shopping, most often of the duty-free variety, has become so all-consuming on many Caribbean islands that you really have to make an effort to look beyond these retail palaces.

St. Thomas:
First Time: Rent a car and drive around the island (don't forget: in St. Thomas you drive on the left). Off-the-track highlights include art galleries like Mango Tango at Raphune Hill, The Color of Joy in Red Hook, and Kilnworks in Smith Bay. Ride along the incredibly scenic Skyline Drive. Have lunch at the famed Craig & Sally's in Frenchtown.

Return Visit: Take the 30-minute ferry from Red Hook to St. John, known for its gorgeous beaches. Drive up the spine of the island to Coral Bay; just a few minutes further is Salt Pond, a lustrous, near-deserted beach. If you're staying on St. Thomas, book a bike tour on Water Island.

Cozumel
First Time: If your ship has a long call here, the best bet is to take its own shore excursion to the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza and Tulum.

Return Visit: Check out some also-important Mayan sites on the island, such as San Gervasio and El Cedral. Scuba diving and snorkeling are exceptional here — particularly at Palancar Reef (the second-longest reef system in the world), Chankanaab Caves and La Ceiba Reef.

St. Maarten
First Time: A half-day "tale of two islands" tour is a helpful way to take in the experience of this dual-nation island (St. Martin is the French side, St. Maarten is Dutch). The clothing-optional beach of Orient Bay is a Caribbean version of St. Tropez. Or take a taxi to St. Martin to browse the French boutiques and lunch in a waterfront cafe.

Return Visit: Visit Anguilla! The island with the best beaches in the Caribbean, Anguilla accepts few cruise ships — but it's a 20-minute ferry from St. Martin. Shoal Bay East is the "happening" beach, with lots of eateries and bars.

South America
The Challenge: The continent is huge, covering thousands of miles from the equatorial tropics to the sub-Antarctic, and is far too big to thoroughly sample on a single voyage (even though nearly every itinerary is longer than seven nights). It's also a fairly rugged experience — expect to travel one or more hours on most outside-the-city adventures.

Buenos Aires
First Time: Tour the city's neighborhoods or "barrios" — there are 49 in all, including Recoleta, where Eva Peron is buried, and colorful La Boca, where residential properties brighten the streets in primary colors. If there's time, top off your visit by taking in a seductive and romantic tango show; if you're smitten and want to learn the dance, spots such as Club Almagro and La Estrella offer lessons.

Return Visit: Buenos Aires' Palermo district is home to numerous parks for biking, jogging or simply relaxing. Over 8,000 species of plants from throughout South America can be found at the botanical garden in Palermo; it adjoins the Buenos Aires zoo, known for its white tigers.

Rio de Janeiro
First Time: Don't miss Rio's downtown area, packed with churches dating back to the 17th century, but be sure to set aside time for a visit to one of Rio's spectacular viewpoints: the 2,300-ft.-high Corcovado hill upon which the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer is perched, or Sugarloaf Mountain (Pao de Acugar) for a view of the harbor and skyline.

Return Visit: Rio boasts beautiful and glamorous beaches, and the two most famous — Copacabana and Ipanema — are easily accessible to day-trippers. If water sports aren't your thing, hone your people-watching skills, or rent bikes or rollerblades and just hang loose as the locals do.

Ushuaia
First Time: The tourist draw in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, is to visit by bus or narrow-gauge railway the "fin del munde" — or the end of the world — marked by a wooden sign in Tierra del Fuego National Park at the very bottom of National Route 3.

Return Visit: Also within Tierra del Fuego National Park are Lake Roca, the Beagle Channel and sub-Antarctic forests, plus opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing and diving with a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Or simply stroll around and have lunch in this charming hilly city with European architecture, known as the "Switzerland of South America."

Alaska
The Challenge: Alaska is a dream destination for cruise travelers — with its plethora of natural wonders, in-town attractions and (in some cases) urban pleasures. There's something for everyone. And that's precisely the challenge: It's almost become too popular and crowds and congestion can, in high season, impact your experience.

Juneau
First Time: Visiting Mendenhall Glacier — whether you hike it or fly there via helicopter and land on it — is the absolute must-do in Juneau.

Return Visit: Explore the rest of Juneau's wildlife scene by kayak on Auke Bay, or take a zip line tour through a dense and lush forest.

Victoria
First Time: Ramble the picturesque streets of Victoria's downtown district. This English-influenced town has marvelous historic sites like the Parliament buildings and the Fairmount Empress Hotel; lush parks, such as Beacon Hill Park; and great shopping on Fort Street and beyond. Pubs abound and Chinatown is another fun diversion. Afternoon tea, in Britain's most elegant tradition, is a rite of passage at the Empress.

Return Visit: Rent a car and head north to the pastoral Saanich Valley and the Marley Farm Winery. Limited-edition vintages include pinot grigio and pinot noir. They also make blackberry and other fruit wines. From rural Saanich, drive south again along winding oceanfront Beach Drive, and through the communities of Cordova Bay and Oak Bay.

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